, 1887-06-02
OUR OLDEST GENERALS.
PEN PICTURES OF SHERMAN, SHER-
IDAN AND ROSeCRANs.
iiosccrans Describes His Removal from
tho Army OF the Cumberland-Sheri-
dan as u Presiding Omcer-A Chat
with Sculptor ward.
Especial Correspondence.l

Especial Correspondencel
WAsHINGToN, May 90.
The noted generals of the army are fast
passing away, and we will soon have no more
such reunions as that OF the Army of the
Cumberland which took place here last week.
There is scarcely noted general now living
whose hair Is not gray. Logan, Hancock,
Mcclellan and Grant have died within two
years, and the wrinkles are fast creeping
around the eyes OF Gen. Sherman Sher-
mans hair Is still brown, however. though his
nigh forehead is fading Off into badness and
| mis- short red beard Is as white as snow.
watched him closely as he spoke to the SOL
diers, and he is the same blunt, talented Te-
cumseh that he was in the early sixties. He
stood upon the platform part Of the time,
with one hand in his pocket and, awkwardly
| ~ he gestured, he seemed perfectly at home.
| lie is nearly as tall as his brother
John, who sat behind him, and he
=, like all his tribe, good speech
maker. Slender, plainly dressed, with n
ugh Henry Clay collar and plain face
,howing out above 1t, his blue eyes sparkled
with good feeling rs he talked and he looked,
Us he is, in full sympathy with the world.
No man In the United States enjoys life bet
er than William 1ecumseh Sherman There
10 Upe III MS lttllllSN, anu uc 10 us Nul W
Iearted and impulsive now as boy. He
ikcs to kiss pr tty girl as well as when he
was courtng the daughter of Tom Ewing,
hen secretary of the interior under President
Taylor lie would not have the presidency
it were offered him, and he has charac-
crized White House life as worse than the
darkest pictures of Dante's Inferno,
IS.
Gen. Rosecrans, though older than Shcr-
man, is also young in appearance His face
shines with good humor and he looks like
'at, stumpy, gay headed hoy as he moves
bout Washington dressed In the most COM
non of business clothes, and paying no regard
0 personal appearance. There is no snoO.
,tshness about Rosecrans, and he Is hail fel.
uw well met with every one. He is 6S years
I'D, and is much younger looking man than
i.nntor Edmunds, who is a full ten years
runger Ro,ecrans is, however, q queer
.ombination He was n brave officer Dld he
Alde a good reputation in congress, but he
ass never gotten over his removal from the
Command of the army of the Cumberland,
uui one of the most pathetic sights of the re-
union was his explanation TO his old troops as
% how his removal took place. He told the
loys how Thomas had not, as was stated by
l late book published on the subject, thought
irlyplf superior to RoseCruns, and how Gen.
s.ghpld had told him at the request of
Thomas that he, Thomas, would not serve in
aua army Of the Cumberland under any other
commander than him, and that he was per-
l,ctly satisfied to have him as his chief. Rose
,rans described the scene in the tent at Chat
,anoOga when he received his dispatch re-
owing him of his command and when he
innounced the fact to Thomas. His story
ias not been published in the newspapers, but
il was to my mind the most interesting part
# the meeting. 1T was at night" said he,
that | received the order, and sent for
~ Thomas He came alone to the tent and
lol his seat. / handed him the letter. He
'rad it, and as he did so his breast began to
well and he turned pale. He did not want
~ accept the command, but we agreed upon
consideration that he must do so, and 1 told
i'm that could not bear to meet my troops
.ftcrwald Il want to leave said l, before
che announcement is made, and will start in
ihe early morning. Ipacked up that night,
and the next morning about o'clock I rode
,way through the fog which then hung over
the camp. The best of relations prevailed
vet ween Gen. Thomas and myself, and ~ to
che statement that he considered himself my
niperior and obeyed orders only from sense
II duty, assure you it was not 30"
As Ros4,rans bowed to the audience and
,teppei hack from the platform there was
lot a man present who did not feel sorry for
lim, and he was so much affected himself
hat his voice trembled as he uttered his
,losing words. He talked in a low tone and
nis accents were almost pleading.
80
Gen. Sheridan was n prominent figure
throu .hout the reunion. He has grown
nuch fntter since he rode that dashing ride
20 Winchester, and his hair, which was blacl,
then, is now a frosted silver. Sheridan has a
hi, mead, n hig body and short legs. He looks
Iaryer sitting down than when standing and
when he has a statue it will undoubtedly be
placed upon horseback. He looks now like q
well to do French count who has goodly
estate and whose cellars are full of rare old
Burgundy. He nj mt have stepped out of
one OF Ruhens' pictures, his complexion is 50
horid. his eyes 80 blue and his hair so white.
He has the form of the great Napoleon,
, though his abdomen is not so large us Napo
,con's was during his latter days. Gen.
sheridan is not over five feet five inches high
and his shoulders are very broad and very
! rulI His chest is well thrown out, and
/ bis large. round head is fastened to the
/ trunk by very short fat. florid
! neck A line drawn from the tiI
/ of his nose through to the back Of his head
! would measure full twelve inches. and his red
| forehead wrinkles like IA scer-ucker coat
/ when he becomes ANNOYED, us lie was some
/ what during his presiding over the reunion
/ Sheridan is hardly at home when speaking
! His trade is war, not oratpIy and during thi,
meeting he forgot the beuodiction and mad,
/ ,ayrrul other little mistakes which wert
/ sracously psrdoned by the audience. He is
! l,wever, very popular in Washington, ant
; uu,kcS good head for the army. He il
irmocratic in his ways, but lives in the fash
enable part of the city.
sFn
Governor Curtin's presence ELECTED the
,heors of the reunion. and there was shou
II laughter when he spoke Of the necessity o
, h'trburi,m in great campaigns, and said
"Gou can't send in your card in war" Curtin
j. an orator, and 1 can tell you that tn,
biography that will be published of him aftel
he has directed its preparation will be worti
reading. He is tail, straight slender and gray
headed, would not call him good looking
hut when you hear him speak you forget tha
| ms tace il not that of hVpcrion He has nov